Introduction

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The AA School’s Sustainable Environmental Design (AA SED) programme engages with real-life problems that affect buildings and cities across the planet. Design research for the SED MSc and MArch follows a process of adaptive architecturing, driven by evidence-based performance criteria, attuning built form and its constituents to natural rhythms and inhabitant activities. Key objectives are to improve environmental quality in cities, achieve independence from non-renewable energy sources, and develop environmentally sustainable architectures capable of adapting to changing climates and urban environments.

The taught programme is structured in two consecutive phases. Phase I is organised around team projects involving MSc and MArch students together in experimental fieldwork and computational studies applying knowledge and tools introduced in weekly lecture courses and software workshops. In Phase II, MSc and MArch students work individually on design research agendas that reflect their home contexts and special environmental interests. SED dissertation projects address a wide range of climates, urban morphologies and building typologies. MSc candidates explore the architectural potential and applicability of their research findings within their chosen context. MArch dissertations culminate in specific design applications for a given site and design brief. Over the last ten years SED students have engaged in some 500 projects spread around some 60 countries and 150 cities ranging from 0 to 60 degrees North and South of the Equator, and from 125 West to 140 East of Greenwich.

For information on how to apply for the MSc or MArch SED click here To follow-up on applications to the AA SED MSc or MArch options contact: Paula Spindler SED Admissions Coordinator paula.spindler@aaschool.ac.uk
Applications are now open for the 2020-21 academic year starting October 2020.
For further information on AA SED contact: Dr Simos Yannas simos@aaschool.ac.uk

Refurbishing the City
In Terms 1 and 2, Refurbishing the City, a continuing SED research agenda, will launch a new round of field studies in collaboration with London-based architectural and engineering practices. In Term 1 these involve on-site observations, measurements and interviews in selected London buildings followed by computer modelling and use of advanced computational tools to explore current and future environmental performance scenarios. The outcomes of Term 1 building studies provide the starting points for design research on mixed-use building programmes in Term 2. In Terms 3 and 4, individual research for the MSc and MArch dissertation projects will encompass a diverse range of geographic locations, climatic regions, urban morphologies and building typologies.

Lecture Courses & Workshops Adaptive Architecturing, Term 1 Providing local architectural solutions to global issues requires an understanding of what makes a good environment for occupants and how this may vary across climates, building types and individual preferences. How does architecture contribute to making good environments and can it reclaim its historical role as a tool of sustainable environmental design? This course introduces a generative framework for an adaptive, culturally sensitive, occupant-centred architecture seeking a symbiotic relationship with the city.

Sustainable City, Term 1 This course reviews theories of urban sustainability introducing instruments and tools that can be applied to its assessment. The role of urban morphology on the microclimates encountered in cities and on energy consumption and climate change is illustrated with case studies from different urban contexts encompassing scales ranging from the regional to that of the urban block.

Environmental Simulation & Performance Assessment Tools, Terms 1 & 2 This hands-on course runs in day-long weekly sessions that follow the tasks of the Term 1 team projects, introducing the analytical procedures and computational tools that drive the SED research agenda. The course begins with fieldwork techniques based on indoor and outdoor observations and environmental measurements. This is followed by computer modelling of selected processes and spaces, testing of models against measurements, and running simulations to assess the effects of solar, thermal, airflow and daylighting processes against targets and benchmarks. A range of computational tools will be introduced and applied to diagnostic tasks as well as generative processes. Their application is initially explored on the team projects providing the essential expertise required for undertaking the MSc and MArch dissertation research in Terms 3 and 4.

Environmental Design Primer, Terms 1 & 2 This course deals with key areas of environmental design research as these relate to architecture and urban design. Topics include urban climatology and the theories of occupant comfort and wellbeing; the physics and architecture of natural light, airflow and thermal processes; the ecology and environmental performance of materials; renewable energy technologies in the urban environment; and the science and art of measurement and performance assessment.

Lessons from Practice, Term 2 Each year several practising architects, engineers and researchers are invited to present projects that illustrate their philosophy, practice and experience with sustainable environmental design. Individual presentations are accompanied by roundtable sessions exploring the relationship between practice and research. The course includes building visits and study trips in the UK and abroad.

Research Seminar, Terms 1–4 The seminar is a regular forum for critical reading and literature review providing support for researching and writing research papers and the final dissertation project. Students are encouraged to produce work worthy of presentation in international scientific events. Student work for the 2019-20 will be presented at the PLEA 2020 Conference, to be held in A Coruna, Spain in September 2020.